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CH273 | GSI
🕑 Added 2025-04-02 03:10:14 +0000 UTCHong Kong Kai Tak International Airport
Despite being ranked among the top 10 busiest airports in the world, Kai Tak International Airport had only one runway. Surrounded by mountains and high-rise buildings, it was infamous among pilots as one of the most challenging airports to land at.
Landing here was so difficult that even veteran pilots with over five years of experience had to undergo specialized training before they were certified to operate flights in and out of Kai Tak.
But the airport, famous for giving visitors a thrilling experience every time they arrived in Hong Kong, was now facing its final days. In two years, a new airport built on reclaimed land off Lantau Island would be completed, and Kai Tak would fade into history.
Amid the many aircraft parked in a spacious apron on one side of the airport, a sleek private jet stood out. Painted in an elegant two-tone combination of Nautic Blue and Crystal White, the jet belonged to Seok-won, radiating a sense of power and prestige.
Inside the jet, Eric Bernas, seated across from Seok-won in a luxurious chair, couldn’t quite hide his excitement.
"I never imagined someone as powerful as Richard Lee—the big shot of Hong Kong’s financial scene—would back down so easily."
It was understandable.
With a single decisive move, they had acquired all of Peregrine Securities' bonds and severed its alliance with Donghae Group.
Eric, still riding the adrenaline rush, couldn't help but admire how effortlessly Seok-won had brought the arrogant Richard Lee to his knees.
Seok-won, unfazed by the momentous victory, took a sip of wine poured by his private flight attendant, Bella, and smiled leisurely.
"The potential gains from attacking Daehung alongside Donghae Group weren’t worth the immediate losses they’d suffer in copper futures. It was the obvious choice."
Despite just forcing one of Hong Kong’s financial titans into submission at a high-stakes meeting in the Peninsula Hotel, Seok-won remained as calm as ever.
Eric couldn’t help but be amazed once more.
How could someone have such unwavering confidence and composure in a game of such high risks?
Curious, he asked, "Weren’t you worried that pushing too hard would backfire? If Richard Lee had resisted instead of giving in, things could have taken a very different turn."
Seok-won swirled his wine lazily in his glass before responding.
"If the pressure had been weak or unconvincing, sure, he might have lashed out. But when you make someone believe that you will follow through on your threats, fear always outweighs resentment."
Then, he added with a smirk, "Of course, this only works when you have overwhelming power and capital on your side. Without that, none of this would be possible."
Eric nodded in agreement—if Eldorado Fund hadn’t held such a massive advantage, Richard Lee wouldn’t have given in so easily.
Seok-won took another sip of wine before setting his glass down.
"Make sure the contract is finalized and keep an eye on Peregrine Securities. We don’t want them getting any ideas."
"Don’t worry, I’ll handle it cleanly." Eric replied with confidence.
Seok-won trusted him—after all, he had personally headhunted Eric from Merrill Lynch with a high salary for his exceptional talent.
Then, as if revealing a hint of the future, Seok-won added, "Also, start expanding the Hong Kong branch’s workforce. There’s a big event coming soon."
Eric’s eyes flashed with curiosity. He leaned forward, intrigued.
"A big event? What exactly are you planning?"
Considering Seok-won had already shaken the world with his assault on the Japanese yen and his massive short bets on the New York stock market, Eric’s anticipation only grew.
"The timing isn’t right yet. Just get everything ready for now."
"Hmm… Understood." Eric replied, though he couldn't hide his disappointment at not getting more details.
Just as he was about to settle back, Seok-won added with a mysterious smile,
"But there’s one thing I can tell you for certain…"
"……?"
"It’s going to be an event far bigger than our last attack on the Japanese yen."
Eric's eyes widened.
The yen attack, orchestrated by legendary Wall Street hedge fund manager George Soros, had forced Japanese banks to their knees. And now, Seok-won was saying this would be even bigger?
"I have no idea what it is, but I'm already excited."
Eric's heart pounded with instinctive anticipation, his face slightly flushed with eagerness.
Seeing that, Seok-won smirked.
"That’s why you need to be ready. When the pieces are in place, don’t hesitate—move fast and maximize the profits."
"Understood."
Just then, Bella, the flight attendant in a sharp uniform, approached them. Her voice was soft and sweet.
"We’ll be taking off in 20 minutes."
"Got it."
"Do you need anything else?"
When Seok-won shook his head, Bella cleared the empty wine glass from the table—making sure it wouldn’t fall and break during takeoff—before stepping away.
"Well then, I’ll be heading off now."
"Alright. I’m sure we’ll see each other again soon."
Eric gave Seok-won a polite nod before turning toward the exit. He also exchanged a brief glance with Bella as she stood near the boarding stairs, then disembarked from the private jet.
As Bella secured the hatch, a phone rang from the table.
Seok-won picked it up.
[Boss, it’s me.]
The voice on the other end belonged to Landon.
"Isn’t it still nighttime in New York?"
[It is. My wife’s a light sleeper, so I had to sneak out like a cat burglar and call you from my study.]
Landon chuckled as he spoke.
Seok-won smirked. "A cat burglar? Haven’t you put on too much weight for that?"
[Don’t remind me. My wife’s been nagging me about my weight gain every day, and now you’re doing it too?]
Hearing Landon grumble in mock distress made Seok-won laugh.
Every year, Landon swore he’d lose weight—but he had never succeeded even once.
[Anyway, how did things go in Hong Kong?]
"Everything’s wrapped up. I left the final details to Eric, and now I’m heading back to Korea."
[Got it.]
"So, what’s this call about?"
[Ah, I just got a report from Porter. Everything is set up and ready to go.]
Seok-won’s eyes sharpened instantly.
"How much margin do we have?"
[50 billion yen.]
"That means our short-selling capacity is roughly 165 billion yen, then."
[Correct.]
At current exchange rates, that translated to nearly 2 trillion Korean won—a staggering sum.
Seok-won glanced at his watch and asked, "What was Sumimoto Corporation’s closing price on the Tokyo Stock Exchange today?"
[It closed at 1,241.9 yen per share.]
Adjusting his grip on his phone, Seok-won didn’t hesitate for even a second before giving the order.
"Start short-selling as soon as the market opens tomorrow."
[How much of the funds should we deploy?]
"All of it. Use the full 165 billion yen by early June."
There was a slight pause before Landon responded in surprise.
[You mean all at once?]
"Yes."
[If we exhaust our balance immediately, Sumimoto or other hedge funds might retaliate by artificially inflating the stock price. That could put us in a difficult position.]
Landon’s voice carried a note of concern.
But Seok-won, unfazed, replied smoothly.
"If they try that, we’ll simply increase our margin and short-sell even more. No need to worry—we’ve got plenty of ammo left, don’t we?"
"Well, that's true."
Although they had spent a fortune in fees securing CDS option contracts with Japan’s major securities firms, the massive profits from yen investments, Nikkei trades, and knock-in/knock-out options still remained in their Japan branch accounts.
Just as Seok-won said, there was no reason they would lose in this money game.
"If Sumimoto Corporation tries to defend its stock price, or if other players bet against us, eventually, the balance will break. Once the momentum shifts to one side, the support will weaken, and the stock price will collapse even harder."
Seok-won actually sounded like he was hoping for such an outcome.
[You sound confident that a major crisis is about to hit Sumimoto.]
Seok-won answered calmly.
"You know how much influence Sumimoto has in the global copper market."
[Of course. They trade hundreds of thousands of tons of copper annually, manipulating international prices at will.]
"Exactly."
[But haven’t countless hedge funds and high-profile investors tried—and failed—to take them down?]
Landon’s voice carried a note of caution.
[Even George Soros’s powerful Quantum Fund tried dumping hundreds of thousands of tons of copper all at once to shake them. But they failed and recently pulled out completely.]
"Just because Quantum Fund gave up doesn’t mean we can’t succeed."
[Ah, I didn’t mean it like that. I just meant they’re a tough opponent.]
"I know. But think about it—Sumimoto has been battling Quantum Fund until just recently. That means they’re exhausted. This is the perfect time to strike. And with the economy slowing down, copper prices—the most sensitive indicator—have already peaked and are starting to decline. You won’t find a better moment to attack."
[So that’s why you ordered us to short not only their stock but also copper futures.]
Hearing Landon put the pieces together, Seok-won grinned.
"It’s always harder to defend when you’re being attacked from multiple fronts."
[That’s true.]
Of course, if this was all there was, even Seok-won wouldn’t have blindly targeted Sumimoto.
'But in a few months, that scandal is going to explode. Knowing that, how could I just sit back and watch?'
For the past decade, Sumimoto’s internal corruption had been festering like a tumor. Once it finally burst into public view, not even Japan’s most powerful trading company would escape unscathed.
'Even in the original timeline, their stock price got cut in half overnight. But if I add my short-selling attack and copper futures sell-off to the mix? They’ll take an even bigger hit than before.'
Seok-won didn’t personally hold any grudges against Sumimoto.
But with the IMF crisis looming, this was the perfect chance to secure massive dollar liquidity—he couldn’t just let it slip away.
And as a bonus, he’d be crippling a former war criminal corporation in the process. That alone made it worthwhile.
"Hold off on selling copper futures for now. Start next month instead."
[Understood.]
Seok-won had already cut a deal with Peregrine Securities—dumping a massive amount of copper immediately would be bad form.
'I’ll give them two or three weeks. If they have any sense, they’ll liquidate their positions on their own.'
If they failed to read the signs and stubbornly held on, the losses would be entirely on Peregrine CEO Richard Lee.
After a few more exchanges, Seok-won ended the call.
Just as he did, Bella approached with perfect timing.
"We’re ready for takeoff. Please fasten your seatbelt."
Seok-won nodded and tightened his seatbelt, adjusting it securely around his waist.
As he did, he recalled their landing in Hong Kong—a nerve-wracking stunt that felt more like an acrobatic airshow than a normal descent.
His hands instinctively tightened their grip on the belt.
"This is one airport I wouldn’t mind never coming back to."
Muttering under his breath, Seok-won shook his head.
Moments later, the Gulfstream IV private jet taxied to the runway, guided by the control tower.
Then, with the engine roaring at maximum thrust, it accelerated down the tarmac and soared into the sky—leaving Hong Kong behind.
